The Uniform
by esther247
Summary: He looked in the mirror as he changed; switching from his detectives clothes into his Nightwing suit. Her words rang in his head, "Going from one uniform to the next, it's not me. Never has been." He wondered now, more than after, why he still wore the uniform. Why he wore any uniform.
1. Chapter 1

_It shouldn't have ended up like this, this shouldn't have become such a gruesome task, or this dreadful a night._ Dick thought as he sped on his motorcycle into the depths of the night.

It was a Saturday night, one he'd originally had off. He picked up the extra shift because he knew they needed the extra manpower lately.

He was on patrol with Luis Perez, just a regular beat cop, a rookie just starting out. They'd been the ones dispatched to a domestic distress call; Dex Wallington, a six-year-old, calling the police from the inside of his closet while all hell broke loose in his home.

When they'd arrived at the scene it was a homicide, when they left the scene, it'd been a double homicide. The father, Max Wallington, was a well-respected stock broker in Bludhaven but recently it had come to light he'd been embezzling from the company and its clients. He was fired immediately and his first day of court was today. The trial hadn't even started, not really anyway, but he came home different. Demoralized. Desperate. He snapped, beat his wife to death and that's when Dex took off into the closet calling the only number he knew by heart.

When Dick arrived on the scene the man had a gun to the boy's head, it was a lose lose situation. There was no way he'd be able to save them both, but how could he rob the boy of what had been taken from him at such a young age too. He could see the pain and fear in Dex's eyes, the confusion but love he still had for his father. He would try, he would try to save them both. He'd opened his mouth to try to talk down the man but it was too late, the shot went off and Max dropped to the ground.

Luis had pulled the trigger and Max Wallington was dead before he hit the floor.

The wails of the oncoming sirens were drowned out by the little boy's cries. Pajamas soaked in tears and blood, Dick pulled him away from the gory scene, Perez was on his knees now; trembling, shocked at the speed at which the events occurred.

All three of them went to the hospital for routine evaluations and that was when Perez spoke. "How?" he whispered, still shaken.

Dick shook his head, "It was your first time in that situation, Wallington probably would've had to have been taken out anyway, no one could blame you for what happened." He said comfortingly.

Perez was shaking his head, tears brimming at his eyes, "Yeah right," he scoffed, "that little boy will blame me for the rest of his life and the chief? I'm toast. I just started and I've managed to rob a man of his life, rob a boy of his father, of his innocence….God what have I done." He choked, horrified.

The rookie hung his head in his hands.

"Perez…what happened tonight, it's part of the job." Dick started numbly.

"When did becoming a killer become part of the job Grayson?" he sobbed. The nurses walking in the halls tried to grab quick peeks into the room. Dick ignored their girlish squeaks when the spotted him and instead wondered where Dex was now…

"It's the part of the job that no one talks about, the part that no one can forget or escape, the part that robs you of your humanity while giving someone else's theirs. It's the tough part…but the harder part is for what comes next. Forgiving yourself; moving forward, doing more good, striving to be better to not let it corrupt or weaken you." Dick said absentmindedly. "Listen Luis, I won't tell you that what happened tonight should've happened or that it was the right thing to do because I don't know that it was but sulking and blaming yourself won't help."

Just as he looked up he spotted Celina MacCoy, a well-known social worker (well known for everything but her social work), walk by. He got up then and followed behind her discreetly, when she turned into Dex's room he cursed under his breath. She only showed up when there was no one else, no extended family to take care of the kids. She was standing over Dex now, he was fast asleep, his tear stained face showed no peace there, not that he had expected to find any there. He leaned against the doorframe.

"He has no next of kin?" he asked grimly.

Celina jumped and spun around to face him, her face flushed from the sudden start. "Richard Grayson, you always manage to give me a heart attack the way you sneak up on me. You could knock you know." She nagged.

Her platinum blonde curls bounced with every movement, her charcoal blouse left little to the imagine with the top three buttons undone.

Dick gave her mischievous smile, "Where would be the fun in that?" he asked jokingly. She frowned but before she could say anything Dick cut her off, "So what's gonna happen to little Dex there?" he asked more seriously.

Her frown fell into a sad pout, "I don't know, the only next of kin listed was the mother's older sister but we've been having trouble locating her. She's been off the grid for about as long as the kid's been alive. She might've changed name, you know gotten married or something but the search is coming along slowly."

Dick walked over to the hospital bed and ruffled Dex's messy blonde hair.

Celina sighed loudly, "Yeah, times like this make you think about what's really important in life…you know," she said.

Dick cocked a brow and looked back at Celina, now looking at him with a look of innocence plastered on her face. He wanted to roll his eyes, but instead he nodded and looked back at the boy on the bed.

"You know," she purred from behind him, taking noisy steps forward in his direction, "I could really use a hand for this case. I mean I know you're busy but maybe if we do it together we can find Dex here a happy ever after." She placed her hand on top of his shoulder blade then.

He whipped around and found she was standing directly behind him, her breathing got caught and her eyes widened in surprise. He quickly stepped to the side and cleared his throat.

"Sure Celina," he agreed quickly and awkwardly.

"Great! It's a date then, I'm free Monday night," she beamed.

A smile exploded on her face and he smirked at her eagerness. He couldn't help but appreciate her efforts, even though he had tried in every way possible to let her down as kindly as he could. He chuckled and ran his hands through his dark locks.

"Celina….." he started.

She threw her hands up in fronts of her feigning defense, "I know, I know, it's strictly professional but we both work very long hours and I think comparing notes over dinner would be the logical thing to do." She rushed to explain.

"Sounds logical," he said using her word and smirking, "but-"

"But nothing Richard, it's not like we are gonna find his aunt tonight, we're only human after all. But tomorrow, Monday, and the day after that? They're new days and new opportunities to do better work. So stop fussing and just say you'll see me Monday night with leads and great Italian food, kay?" she said backing out of the room quickly.

"See you Monday night." She said leaving the room altogether.

He shook his head and sighed, a date was not what he was looking for tonight. He sat in the chair and then sprang up just as quickly. Celina was right, finding Dex's aunt would take time, he'd have to burn the midnight oil to track someone who for all he knew wasn't even in town anymore because he was only human. Fortunately for him, he had friends that weren't so human.


	2. Chapter 2

He sped past the Gotham city and hoped no one (especially not someone in particular) would spot him, the night sky gave him easy cover as the clouds rolled in and as he reached the outskirts of the city, he stopped in front of a large plain. Lightning struck the ground about two yards ahead of him and the manor came into view. He smirked, _she was always one for theatrics_.

Shadowcrest manor could only be described as hauntingly beautiful; the grass that danced around the manor remained neatly untrimmed and moved to the hum of the wind. The architecture of the house was timeless though a careful eye could note that the materials used to build the house were not of this time, the little lamp post looked modern day vintage, though Dick knew it was a historic original. He took a sharp breath and realized how long it had been since he'd seen the place or the current owner of the house, let alone how long it had been since he had been inside of the house.

It was bigger than the Wayne estate by leaps and bounds not that anyone who hadn't been inside would know. Ironic, that the manor which had been a home to so many had no home itself as it was connected to various dimensions, times, and places.

Dick jogged up the small steps and reached the door preparing to knock, the door swung open on its own accord and he strolled inside nonchalantly. The door slammed itself behind him, "Zee?!" he called out.

The candelabra's on either side of the wall lit up and he walked further down the corridor. Before he could make it all the way down the hall a small breeze blew past him, "Dick," she said as if she had been expecting him and maybe she had been.

A cocky smile erupted on his face as he spun around and found her leaning against the wall. Zatanna had always been breathtakingly beautiful but something about that voice of hers made his heart drum. She wore her magician's outfit, which bared her long toned legs that were accentuated by the fish net stockings and black red bottom stilettos she casually wore. The top button of her pristine white blouse was undone, her bow tie between her naked hands, and yet all he could focus on was her smug expression. Her lips were a ruby red and her blue eyes shone furiously with entertainment, pleasure, and mischief.

"Zee," he responded just as nonchalantly. A smiled weaseled itself unto her face without her obvious permission to do so and she laughed at herself, or at him, or at the sheer awkwardness and ease of the moment. She snapped her fingers and the corridor vanished, they stood in the living room of the manor.

Dick shook his head, "Yeah, still not used to that," he joked. She smiled boldly at him before he continued, "And the creepy house tricks? Doors opening and magical candelabra's? What ever happened to a good old fashioned house greeting at the door?"

She laughed, "I wasn't home, I just got back from my show in Gotham. But when I felt your presence here I had the house let you in. I didn't think you'd mind being alone for a minute or two. Sorry if I scared you though," she said jokingly.

"Scared? Not in the least, entertained maybe but definitely not scared." He said brusquely, she looked at him for a moment pursing her lips.

"Mmmhmmm." She responded just as she started walking into the kitchen behind them and grabbing two glasses. Dick watched her muse around the kitchen before opening a cabinet full of liquor. The amount of liquor in her cabinet was appalling, he threw her a scathing look and she laughed before picking one out and pouring it into the two empty glasses on the table.

"So to what do I owe the visit?" she asked as she walked over and handed him a glass.

"It's an intervention," Dick joked taking the glass into his own hand.

A smile tugged at her lips, but she waited for him to continue. He sighed, "I need your help Zee,"

Zatanna threw her hand over her mouth and gasped, "No way," she said.

Dick smiled, "Yes way, I know it's hard to believe but...I'm not here to haul you into rehab for what is obviously an addiction to alcohol." He said eyeing her liquor cabinet again.

She threw her hands on her hips and walked over to the cabinet, "What alcohol officer?" She asked innocently as she opened the cabinet door that reveal vegan milkshakes and snacks.

Dick leaned against the door frame and started to speak before she lifted a finger, "Oh wait, it's junior detective now...right?"

His lips twitched, "How'd you know?" He asked.

"Magic." She whispered, bringing her energetic spirit fingers to her face.

Dick laughed and Zatanna gave him a small smile, "I've missed that sound." She said quietly after he was done.

"I thought you hated my laugh."

She shook her head, "I hated the cackle, but considering you barely do either these days, I'd even take the cackle."

He sighed, "I've missed you too Zee."

She smiled mischievously now, "No you haven't." She said. "And that's okay." She shrugged. "But what can I do for you Nightwing?" She asked.

He pursed his lips and wondered if he should argue with her, he sighed again and thought better of it. He a man on a mission. "There was a double homicide tonight and a kid's been orphaned. His next of kin doesn't even have a face or a last name right now and is nowhere to be found in Gotham or Bludhaven, I thought maybe you could find them." He explained grimly.

Zatanna's face was somber now, she knew just as much as Dick how it felt to be orphaned. "Okay, I'm going to need-"

"I have a few strands of his hair," Dick said beating her to the punch and reaching into his pocket where a small evidence bag held four strands of blonde hair that he had managed to take off of the sleeping boy in the hospital bed.

Zatanna sighed and chuckled tiredly before putting her glass aside, "You know you could let me finish." She said bitingly, "but okay give me a second."

She took a single strand of hair from the small evidence bag and starting levitating in the air, her legs crisscrossed. She began whispering under her breath and a small ebb of golden light began emanating from her body.

It was strange watching Zatanna do her magic less than five feet away rom him, not because he wasn't used to having her do her magic in close proximity, after all in his line of super hero work people using their powers right next to him had become the norm, the strange thing about watching Zatanna work was the eerie calm that came over him.

She'd told him once, when they were younger and she had first moved into the cave that magic was like therapy to her, calming every nerve in her body and being free from everything. He could see it now more than ever what she had meant then. After all she'd been through in life, smiling, being at peace…..it should've been the last thing she'd be doing but instead she radiated a peace from within her that was purely addicting. It radiated out of her like radioactive waves and made him feel….

The light around her dimmed and her feet met the ground gently. She frowned a little, "That's odd, I can't feel anyone." She confessed.

Dick looked at her skeptically, "What?" he asked as if he hadn't heard her.

Zatanna flushed slightly and quickly rushed to explain, "I can't find any blood relation to this person. They have no relatives."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Zatanna nodded, "I'm sorry Dick but this kid's an orphan, I can't feel anyone else within the lineage."

Dick sighed and pulled his hand over his face as if he was tearing away at the grime of the night. He put his glass down on the counter and after a moment turned to face her again, "Dammit...dammit. It was worth a try." he muttered under his breath.

Zatanna shrugged her small shoulders, "Sorry Dick, there's really no one else."

"You're sure?" he asked again; almost desperately. Dick knew asking again was pointless, if anyone could find anyone anywhere it was Zatanna. She'd made locating people her specialty after Fate practically kidnapped her father, she could locate him in different dimensions and worlds alike. Finding regular people was like finding her own hands with the lights on and a map. Excessively effortless.

Zatanna nodded and picked up her glass, "Yeah," she said dryly. She walked over by the softly lit fireplace in the living room and shuddered. The picture above the fireplace was of her parents, it was from long ago maybe even from a time period indistinguishable to her and Dick could see how she held herself together when crossed her arms over her chest.

"Sorry Zee, I know-" he started

Zatanna scoffed humorlessly, "No, are you kidding? It's fine. I'm fine. It just sucks for the kid is all." She while cutting him off and waving her hand around dismissively.

"Yeah." Dick responded just as dryly. "Well I'd better go." He finished his drink in one gulp and started for the door.

Zatanna shifted her weight fluidly onto her left leg, "Maybe you should stay," she said in what sounded like a directive and suggestion at the same time.

A scarlet blush started creeping up her cheeks when she started backtracking, "I mean, it's raining pretty hard out there. You could…get hurt." She finished lamely.

Dick smiled a little, "I don't know, I think I'll be okay. I mean there are worse things, right?" he half joked.

At that Zatanna had to laugh, "Well we'd be the first to know," She conceded as she followed him to the door.

"Thanks again Zee," he said as he opened the door and turned to face her.

Her ruby lips were pursed in thought and her eyes narrowed in slight concentration at the plastic bag she'd just managed to pickpocket from him.

Dick looked at her puzzled, and she smiled. "I'm a magician Dick, slight of hand is crucial part of the trade."

Before Dick could make a witty comment to retort, she put her hand up, "I'll give it another shot, I doubt I'll find any blood relatives but maybe I can find distant relatives through marriage or something." She said.

Dick's face threatened to break into a smile and Zatanna rolled her eyes, "Don't get excited, I just have some spare time on my hands and since I'm showcasing in Gotham for the month, I'll be around."

Dick couldn't hide the smile on his face as he asked, "How will this search be different from the first?"

Zatanna looked at him skeptically, "Really?" she asked rhetorically, "Do you care?"

Dick pretended to look hurt, "Of course I do, it's fascinating; magical even." He protested.

"Good one," she allowed. "I'll let you know what I'm doing, when I find out. Good night detective." She promised turning to close the door.

Dick watched as the door closed and as the house disappeared from the field shortly after, he shook his sopping wet head in awe.

"Every single time." He said getting on his bike and speeding off.


	3. Chapter 3

Dick sighed and leaned against the door frame of his bedroom. He was exhausted, the night had managed to somehow blur into the day and the day into the week. He stood up Celina on Monday to escort some of Bludhaven's finest to police custody and hadn't heard a word from Zatanna.

He wanted to call her but for some reason couldn't bring himself to do it. If Zatanna had found something, she would've told him, that and he knew from local media outlets that her show was sold out to capacity in Gotham. She was busy and he could understand that, but if he were being honest he knew the reason he didn't call had nothing to do with that. Seeing her reminded him of the past, the good times they shared together on the, away from the team, and worst it nagged him about a future about moving on. Something he wasn't ready to do; not just yet.

 **Monday Night*****

"Sorry Celina," he said in his groggiest voice, "I'm really just not feeling well. I was out all night on my bike and got caught in the rain – no, no, I'll be fine." He assured her. "No! I don't need you to come over, I've got everything I need here at home but I really appreciate the sentiment." He paused as she prattled on.

"No of course not, I wouldn't…. we're adults Celina, why would I pretend to be sick to avoid dinner with you. It's not like it was a date anyway, just two professionals working together for the greater good. But while I've got you on the phone we could swap notes, anything new?" he asked.

"Yeah, no luck yet on my end either but I'm sure something will turn up soon, it has to. Well call me when you get a lead." He said. "Y-yeah we'll have to raincheck that dinner one of these days. Good night Celina."

He threw the phone onto the bed and made sure no one was on the streets before dawning his mask and jumping out of the window.

 **End Flashback*****

Now all he could do was think about Dex as the new weekend approached again. He dragged himself into the shower and the hot water soaked his hair and work on his tense muscles. He closed his eyes and let the thoughts he'd been suppressing resurface; thoughts of Dex, Wally, Batman and the team; all the people he'd let down. The most prominent face in his mind was Wally, his best friend, the original kid flash. It had been well over a year but he couldn't bring himself to face the music, Artemis, his parents, not even the commemorative holographic statue in the watchtower. It was all too much, too real and still too soon.

He knew that Wally made his own choice, the he chose to sacrifice himself for the sake of the world and the last thing he'd think of was Artemis and his family; it was just so Wally. But he also knew, knew more than ay thing else Wally and Artemis would've never been in that mess in the first place if he hadn't opened his big mouth. He sighed loudly, knowing no one could hear him. He didn't talk about it but the thoughts haunted him night and day, he'd never felt more trapped in his own mind. The only time he didn't think about it was when he was out running, jumping and flying above the town as Nightwing. Eventually though, he'd have to get over this, get over the shame, the self-pity, the disbelief and he'd have to move on. Move onto life without his best friend, without one of the best parts of him.

Once he stepped out of the shower he wrapped the towel around his waist, he picked is phone off the counter and saw the missed messages and calls from Celina and sighed. He wondered idly how she'd ever gotten his number in the first place. He crawled into his bed and closed his eyes, just as he was about drift off a knock at the door stirred him. He looked at the clock, it was just a little after seven, he frowned.

 _ **I don't know what's worse being this exhausted at 7 o clock on a Friday night or actually having to get out of bed right now.**_

He pulled a shirt over his head and pulled the door back without looking through the peephole.

"So how's about now for that dinner?" Celina asked flashing her unnaturally white smile.

Dick was so shocked he said the only thing that came to mind. "Wow."

Celina laughed, "Yeah I know right, I thought it's a Friday night and you've been sick all week, so why not come over with chicken noodle soup and your favorite portable pastime; work?"

Dick looked at the takeout and folders in her hand, before extending his own hands to help her carry them. "That's really…thoughtful Celina, come in. I got to say though, I'm not as bad as I was Monday so this really wasn't necessary."

She walked passed him and straight into the kitchen, Dick followed her and pulled a small pot out of the closet cabinet.

"Can't have cold chicken noodle soup." He said, as she turned to face him.

She handed him the bowl of soup from the bag and watched as he lite the stove and poured it into the pot. He turned to subtly guide her out of the kitchen, where a fair share of Nightwing's emergency supplies were, (what? He never got around to moving them) and into the living room.

"I'd offer you a drink but I really wasn't expecting any company, so I'm fresh out." He lied smoothly. "I hope that's okay."

She kicked off her heels before settling in on the living room carpet and laying out the work on the ground. "It's okay, I brought beer." She beamed.

Dick took the beer she handed him and sat beside her, "You really know how to lay out an impromptu meal." He joked. "I can't remember the last time I had anyone over let alone dinner with anyone."

"I know," she said, "But living alone and being sick is possibly the worst combo in the world, so I thought I'd surprise you."

She pursed her pink lips and made a chagrined face, "It's too much, isn't it?" she asked softly.

 _ **YES**_ he thought rather loudly in his mind.

"No, not at all." He said cracking the beer open. "It's refreshing." He joked.

She gave him a blatant look of disbelief so severe he had to laugh.

"It's not funny," she said through a small laugh of her own, "you should really kick me out. I've clearly ruined your night."

"Celina, really, it's fine. Sweet, even, it just caught me off guard is all." He assured her as he brought the bottle to his lips

"What a time we live in, when doing something kind catches people off guard." She said as she took her blonde hair out of its tight bun and started taking off her sweater.

"Do you mind?" she asked suddenly, "I like to get comfortable when I work." She explained.

She slipped her sweater off and wore nothing but a closely fitted lace trimmed camisole underneath.

Dick could feel a small burn in his face, as he looked away, cleared his throat and replied, "No, not at all. Make yourself at home." He said reaching around her and picking up the small case file on Dex.

"He's going to have it rough," Celina said after a moment, when she noticed that Dick had begun to focus on it. "Can you imagine seeing your parents die like that, even if we do find his aunt, he'll probably need therapy."

"Probably," Dick agreed quickly, "But let's just get started and see what we can do, you said there was an aunt that was on the mother's side, right? We'll start from there."

"Right." Celina said. "I'll make a few phone calls, look in on his school and social life, see if anyone remembers an aunt."

Dick started going through the boy's file and pulled out his laptop to start tracking relatives through various databases. The missing aunt was really the only viable source he had left, if they couldn't find her…he forced the thought away from his mind and started looking into the history.

Celina mid call, suddenly stood up and walked into the kitchen, Dick followed her swiftly and grabbed two smalls bowls and blocked her path. She turned off the stove and spun to give him a confused face.

"No thanks anyway Maureen, I didn't think so either. Okay well thanks." She said before hanging up.

"You know, I'm more than capable of turning off a stove and pouring soup into a bowl," she told him. "I'm more than just a pretty face."

He grinned sheepishly, "It's my place, it didn't feel right letting you do all the work."

She blushed lightly, "An officer and a gentleman." She purred.

He smiled awkwardly at the joke and watched as she grabbed a ladle.

"You know you were so right, people don't sit down and have dinner anymore. It's all quickies, ins and outs, and late night calls. It's a real shame." She started saying.

"Mmmm." He hummed in passive agreement, while he groaned internally.

"And in jobs like ours, where we work for the good of the people, you're constantly reminded that you want, you _**need**_ more. You need something real, something or someone to look forward to being with at the end of the day." She mused.

She turned around to look at him suggestively, before shrugging her naked shoulder, and pursing her lips seductively. "Or in the morning," she said. "Something to motivate you to get through it, y'know? Everyone needs that, even you Richard Grayson."

"Celina," he started as she poured the soup into the bowls, "as much as I agree with you, I think I should let you know I'm really not in the market for a relationship right now."

She shrugged casually, "I get it," she said, "but sometimes things just happen."

Dick handed her a bowl full of soup and pulled a stool from beneath the kitchen counter. "And I get that," he countered, "but I don't see anything happening between us anytime soon." He further explained.

"You also didn't see this work dinner happening tonight, but here we are." She pointed out.

"Touché," Dick allowed.

"I'm just saying life is full of surprises and if you're open to them, life can be magical." She said.

"You just have to believe; right?" He joked.

She laughed genuinely and placed a hand on his arm, "Right." She agreed digging into her soup.

After dinner, they spent a few more hours going through their collective resources to locate the woman to no avail and as Dick walked her to her car, he held her door open for her with a slight smirk on his features.

He cleared his throat. "Thanks again for dinner. It was-"

"Needed." She finished for him.

"I was going to say appreciated." He said as he walked her to her car.

"Same difference." She laughed.

"Celina?" he said as she tucked herself into the shiny red car.

"Yes?" she said way too over expectantly.

"I do believe in magic." He said almost chuckling to himself.

"I'm glad." She smiled.

"Well good night." He said.

He waved as she pulled out of the driveway and sped down road. He glanced at his watch and noticed it was nearly midnight. He grabbed his motorcycle and got on the road.


	4. Chapter 4

It was just like her to give her stage assistants the main dressing room, she loved the stage but never got used to the attention. The main dressing room was flooded with flowers and gifts from would be admirers and just before he knocked he looked at the note on the side of the door with her swirly handwriting.

 **Get used to the limelight ladies, you're all stars. - Z**

A mid-sized brunette wearing a sequined dress cleared her throat as she went to open the door. "Audience members aren't allowed back here." she said.

He smiled charmingly and ran his hand through his windswept hair, "I'm a friend, I promise."

She looked him over two more times before rolling her eyes, "She's in the small dressing room at the end of the hall and to the right. You'd better not be a psychopath, because I have great facial recognition skills. I went to cosmetology school." She said as she pulled the door open and met eyes with him.

Dick nodded, "Got it." he promised as he followed her directions to a small black door.

He knocked on the door and waited for a response. The door pulled back and he half expected her to not be behind it, but there she was in a full magician's costume minus the hat. Her face was cautious at first, wondering who could be coming to her door at the end of the night, though when she saw him the tension on her face melted and he breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

She smiled up at him, "Detective, please come in." she greeted him before moving aside and letting him into the room.

He laughed, "Thanks but please call me anything but that."

She pursed her lips as she walked over to her chair and kicked off her heels, "Call you anything?" she mused.

"Anything but late for dinner." he joked cheesily.

"Well," she said, taking off her bow tie and unpinning her hair, "can't do that, I've never been invited."

"Then how's now?" he asked.

She ran her fingers messily through her wave-tressed hair. "Not hungry but thanks for the offer," she said easily.

He chuckled, "You're really good at making me feel like a crap friend." he said.

She shrugged, "Sorry," she said fighting a smile off her face, "You're right, that's not cool of me. I really shouldn't, I mean you came all this way to see my show and everything."

A smile broke out on his face.

"Wait," she said bringing a finger to her lips, "Why do I get the impression you didn't come **for** or **to** the show? But that can't be right, because you Dick Grayson, are not a crap friend."

He laughed loudly, "Okay, I'm a crap friend." he allowed.

She laughed, "I know but I'll indulge you anyway." She said getting up from her seat, and walking behind a small screen before coming out on the other side, seconds later, in civilian clothing.

"Ta-da." she said.

"You know I've been working on my magic too." He said walking over to where she stood. She looked up at him expectantly.

He raised both of his palms up to show her that they were empty. He patted himself down to show his empty pockets and despite the fact that she was an actual practitioner of magic, when their eyes met he could see the unveiled curiosity and enthusiasm that glowed in her cyan blue eyes.

He reached into the folds of his jacket and pulled out a small bouquet of white roses. She tipped her head back and let a peel of laughter roll through her fluidly.

"Congratulations on the show. It's all anyone is talking about." he said handing her the flowers.

"Thank you." she breathed, before picking one out of the bouquet and whispering something, most likely a spell he didn't have a prayer of understanding, under her breath.

He watched as the roses were pulled into the air and wrapped into a small crown that settled on her head.

She tucked her arm under his and looked him straight in the eye, "I'm not hungry, I'm starving so if you think you're going to drag me to some bourgeois restaurant so I can eat like a doll, you're going to be sorely disappointed."

He smiled and walked with her out of the dressing room before she yanked them to a stop.

"And do not be confused boy blunder, this," she said pointing to the both of them, "is a work dinner. You technically have never asked me to dinner as friends."

He rolled his eyes dramatically and started walking again, "Fine and you forget I used to watch Wally eat every day." he said. "I think I can handle your vegetarian rage."

Her eyes flitted from his face and he nudged her shoulder with his own gently, "You remembered." she said her voice surprisingly small.

"How could I forget?" he asked rhetorically, "You forced us to have a tofu turkey for friendsgiving once."

She laughed, "Oh yeah." she mused as they walked up to his cycle. .

He handed her the helmet and they got on quickly.

She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face into him, she inhaled deeply and snickered, the small tremors coursing through their pressed bodies.

"What?" he asked when he stopped at a light.

"You smell like chicken noodle soup." she noted. "New cologne?" she joked.

"Something like that." he laughed.

"Well whatever it is, I'm a fan." she said, tucking herself into him more.

They sat across from each other on decorative pillows, surrounded by spiced aromas, and the buzzing sound of the approaching weekend.

Zatanna sat crossed legged on her pillow and Dick followed her lead after a few failed attempts to sit more masculinely. Just as the young man took their orders and stole more than a few glances at Zatanna, who wore a crown of roses, a black crop top and a pair of white overalls, Dick smiled and across the low table top.

"Sooo," he started as she picked up a piece of flatbread and started tearing it apart.

She arched a dark brow at him, and dipped a ripped piece of bread in melted butter. "So," she responded slowly, "I think I've found someone."

Dick's eyes lit up with the information, "The aunt, you found her?" he asked excitedly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She made a face and he looked at her skeptically, "What?" he asked.

"I don't know," she admitted, her face flushing a little.

"What do you mean you don't know, you either found her or you didn't." Dick said.

She sighed, "I never said I found the aunt, I said I found someone and I don't know who I found. I can't say for certain that it is the aunt because based on the information you gave me, things aren't adding up. For starters, this person isn't blood, so she can't be the mom's sister, this person isn't related by marriage or anything."

"His files only referenced one living family member and that was the sister, I've been chasing leads all week and that's the only one I could find. Unless the mom or the sister was adopted, there should be a relation." he started thinking aloud.

"Well let's say she was adopted and that's why I couldn't track her the first time" Zatanna allowed. "It doesn't mean we know where she is, at least not right now."

"You couldn't locate the person?" he asked.

Zatanna beamed at the waiter who started to place the huge platter of Ethiopian food between them. He looked at them skeptically as if he were certain they couldn't finish the amount of food in front of them, after all it was a family sized platter.

"Thank you," she told him despite his intense glares. He blushed and nodded, before choking on his words and walking away (but not before tripping) in a hurry.

Dick went to ask her another question and was met quickly with a halting finger. "Vegetarian rage, Dick." she reminded him.

He smirked in spite of himself and let her eat, as he too began to pick up one of the unidentifiable things on the plate. It must've been pretty obvious that he had never had this kind of food before because after accidentally dropping his food back onto the platter a number of times, she started laughing through her stuffed face.

He tried to imitate the way she scooped up the colorful food with her bread and failed miserably, the food instead fell right onto his crotch. She swallowed her food and held her core as she started laughing so hard, she began to tear up. He chuckled too, letting the sound wash over him, he'd forgotten how much he loved her laugh.

No he hadn't forgotten, he'd been avoiding it, punishing himself by doing so. The sound was like nothing he'd ever heard. It actually sounded how happy felt, that was what he told himself after he heard it the first time. She never tried to conceal it either, as if she knew what magical properties it had. The sound lit up her eyes, moved through her body, and consumed him wholly. It made him desperate to hear more of it.

"I take it you're enjoying the show." he said as he picked up a napkin and started dabbing at his pants.

She nodded her head and lightly dabbed at her budding tears, before laughing again. "Someone should," she said when she could finally speak.

"The boy blunder still lives," she said before making a spoon appear on the table in front of him. He cocked an amused brow at her.

"Just like that?" he asked. "Aren't you afraid someone will see you doing real magic?"

She shrugged, "Not really, I'm not really afraid of people knowing or not knowing. It all comes down to their belief anyway."

"I assume you're going to elaborate on that." Dick said as he picked up his spoon and started to eat.

"Okay," she said pursing her lips in thought, "Well think of it like this, I'm kind of hiding

"But you're not hiding," he said.

"Exactly," she said, "But I'm hiding, not hiding in plain sight. I am a stage magician, so if someone asks if I practice magic the answer is duh. But we also live in a world shrouded by reason, even now if someone saw the spoon appear in front of you, their better senses would simply tell them they hadn't seen it at first glance."

"Duly noted," he said. "Is that why you don't wear a mask?" he asked.

She smiled, flashing her pearly white teeth. "How long have you been waiting to ask that question I wonder," she mused.

"A while," Dick admitted.

"How long's a while?" she probed, picking up another piece of flatbread.

Dick shrugged nonchalantly, "Just a while, you know ever since you joined the JLA."

"That's a long while," she smiled.

He waited for her to continue and she sighed.

"It's part of the reason, yes but you know it's not the whole thing." she said locking eyes with him. "Or else you wouldn't have asked, so you are still a bat after all." she said as if she found an answer to a question she had been keeping.

"I don't wear a mask, I keep my name, and don't change the uniform because I am who I am through and through. There is no mild-mannered ego, there is no second life, there's just me; Zatanna Zatara. That includes being a human being, a performer, a daughter, and a super hero. Those are my achievements and I didn't have to pay the cost of the mask to earn them or the scars that came with them. So going from one uniform to the next? It's not my thing, never has been, never will be."

"That's pretty profound." Dick said. "But-"

"But it's incredibly stupid." Zatanna finished for him.

He smiled, "I wasn't going to say that."

"No," she smiled, "But you thought it."

"Once," he admitted, "A long time ago but then I remembered that you were the same girl who hacked the watchtower system to keep tabs on Dr. Fate after seeing me do it once and after Batman had reconfigured the system."

She smirked.

"You know I had to take the heat for that." Dick told her almost accusingly.

"You didn't have to," Zatanna said, "You knew it was me, you could have ratted me out, but you chose not to."

"I understood why you did it. That and I still had a pretty serious crush on you." he laughed. "So I took the heat."

"I figured as much," she admitted. He looked at her evenly and she laughed. "You weren't so subtle at thirteen but it was sweet of you, thanks."

"What else are friends for," he said before breaking into a smile, "I mean besides trying to fend off the vegetarian rage."

She laughed scooped another piece of food into her mouth and nodded. "But this isn't dinner between friends, this is a work dinner." she reminded them.

He pulled back a little, not realizing that he had been leaning towards her.

He cleared his throat, "Right." he said.

"Okay," she said folding her hands together, "you wanted to know how location works so I'll give you a brief synopsis. I have something of that person's, DNA, clothing, something of sentimental value, and usually if the connection is strong enough I can find something or someone else. If not a blood connection, then a strong memory or tie to that other person. With Dex, I looked into his maternal lineage, his mother didn't have any blood left that I could find but there was a connection, a tie but I'm looking at the connection through Dex's eyes and experiences. So it is possible Dex knew this person, but it wasn't a connection that stuck out to him, so it was probably someone he didn't see often but it was a connection that was significant enough for him to keep, even subconsciously."

Dick nodded, "So we don't know who it is, what their connection is to Dex, but you think you can find them?"

"It's going to take some time, because I am looking for something that technically isn't Dex's but I think I can and that's something." Zatanna said hopefully.

"That's better than the nothing I have. Do you have an ETA as to when you can get this done?" he asked.

"No," Zatanna breathed, "I'm booked solid in Gotham between my shows, charity shows and appearances, and I would need time to put the thing I need for the search together."

"I could help," Dick said quickly, "I could get the materials together and-"

"You have a job too Dick, and I'd bet my top hat that you suit up more than you should. You look exhausted, you don't talk to anyone anymore, at least not us and you being alone and miserable is -"

"I've just been getting settled in," he said suddenly, "I have." he said again, when she threw him an unshielded look of disbelief. "I just needed some time off and space to get my bearings."

"And have you?" she asked.

"Gotten your bearings?" she continued when he looked at her in confusion.

"Yes, and I'm not alone or hiding out from you guys either. I'm just busy." he said.

Zatanna looked at him skeptically. "Either way," she said taking a sip of the water in front of her, "You're just as busy as I am."

"I have a friend who can help." Dick said. "And this actually falls in her job description, in fact she's working on this case, so she has all the time in the world to devote to this. And if you don't mind her poking around your house, we could get a leg up and get this done for Dex."

Zatanna nodded, "Okay a fair amount of the materials are in the library, I can just open a portal-"

"She doesn't know about me…..the other me, you know what I mean." Dick said quickly, "We aren't that close." he rushed to explain. "She's the case worker, so I'm going to have to introduce you as a friend."

"I can't say I'm not flattered, but out of curiosity what else would you introduce me as?" she asked in a smile in her voice.

He laughed, "As a constant tease."

"Either title works for me." She said as she smiled and scooped food into her mouth.


	5. Chapter 5

It was Tuesday night, her favorite time of the week because it was the only day she didn't have shows running until all hours of the night. That and she could catch up on all of her shows, specifically her Telemundo which yes, she watched devoutly.

Marisol was finally going to discover who framed her son and she was desperate to find out too. She'd just gotten home when her phone vibrated, it was from Dick and she smirked as she unlocked the phone and opened the text.

 **Sorry something came up, can't meet up tonight.**

She wished she'd never seen the damn thing because now he'd know she read it and that meant she had to respond, damn read receipts.

 **K. See you when I see you.**

She glanced at the phone again, looked over at the TV and changed into her pajamas with a muted spell. She put the phone on the coffee table before her and conjured before her a bowl of popcorn, the phone continued to vibrate and she studiously ignored it.

She didn't want to admit it to herself, because she knew firsthand who she was dealing with, the indecipherable Dick Grayson, but it still annoyed her that his bailing on her was still just as frustrating as it was when they were teenagers. Part of her knew better than to be upset, he wasn't a bad guy, but he was still a bonehead who didn't know how to read women…..well no he knew exactly how to read women, they were always crawling all over him. He just could never read her and part of her was grateful for it, because it meant she wouldn't allow herself to feel vulnerable around him. But that meant that they couldn't be who she wanted them to be when they were together, it meant she had to be guarded….the last thing she needed was to mix business with pleasure especially with him. Pleasure always turned into heart break with Dick Grayson, no matter who he was dealing with.

She sighed and pushed those thoughts far from her mind before refocusing on the TV. Nothing and no one was going to come between her and her soaps tonight, not even the hailed boy wonder.

He must've resorted to calling her because the phone refused to stop vibrating so she tucked it under the couch cushion.

During the commercial break she pulled it out from beneath the cushion and watched as another text popped onto to the screen.

 **Dont be mad, I'm trying...**

She didn't unlock the phone to see the full message. She wasn't mad, not in the slightest. She hadn't let her guard down, she took everything he said with a grain a salt. She knew that they were both busy people, so cancelled plans were to be expected. I mean this is the infamous Nightwing, what more could she expect? Nothing. She could and would expect nothing from him and that's why this job was going to be so easy. She chewed the inside of her cheek softly.

 _ **Mad? Me? About cancelled plans? Does he really think I'd expend the emotional energy of being mad about him bailing? How….how totally conceited, how totally Nightwing, he must think my life revolves around him or something. As if I don't have better things to do.**_

She looked at the phone again and rolled her eyes. _**It's just a text Zatanna, stop over analyzing. Stop working yourself up. This is Dick and you're both adults. He's not thinking childish things and neither should you. I'll just let him know it's fine, because we are both adults, with time consuming work and superhero responsibilities. This**_ _ **really**_ _ **is to be expected.**_

Just as she went to unlock her phone, the doorbell rang and she wondered idly if it was him. She cautiously wondered if she should be pleasantly surprised that he show would show up. She placed the popcorn down on the coffee table and slipped on her slippers before walking slowly to the door.

 _ **All that strenuous thought for nothing.**_

Zatanna laughed quietly to herself and got up to open the door. She pulled the door back and was startled at the chesty blonde who stood on her porch at the edge of the rose bushes. Her phone vibrated again and she ignored it.

"Hi," Zatanna said grabbing her attention away from the rose bushes she was inspecting. The girl turned around to face the voice and paused to appraised Zatanna's look. "Can I help you?"

She walked over to the door in her pink heels and smiled, "Hi, I'm Celina, Richard's friend."

Zatanna looked her over, mouth slightly agape and turned up into a small smirk. She should've known he would do something like this, she mentally cursed herself for not having read the texts and picked up his calls. But sending a complete stranger to her house?

Celina wore a fitted pink dress that hugged her bottom and curves under a denim jacket.

"You're the social worker," Zatanna said with a little disbelief in her voice.

Celina smiled smugly, "I am." She purred.

"Zatanna Zatara," Zatanna said sticking out her hand for a handshake. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Celina said taking her hand in hers quickly. "Am I interrupting your evening?" she asked hesitantly as she took in Zatanna's attire again.

"No, not at all. I just like to working comfortably." she lied smoothly.

"Oh," Celina muttered. "Dick's running late but he said you could really be a help with the case I'm working on."

"Right, Dex's case. Dick told me a thing or two about it." Zatanna said.

"Great." Celina said. "Then we should probably get started while the night is still young."

Zatanna smiled and pulled out her phone.

 **D: Don't be mad. I'm trying to make it out there tonight, even if it means I'll be along later. Celina can still make it though, so I gave her your address. Fair warning, she's a bit…much.**

Zatanna smiled politely at her and cleared her throat, "That's a great idea," she said, "Just great. Please come in." she said stepping aside.

Celina strolled into the house without any qualms and waited for Zatanna to escort her down the corridor. "Would you like a drink?" Zatanna offered halfheartedly.

"No thanks," Celina purred, "I'm trying to watch my figure."

Zatanna rolled her eyes and opened the door to the massive Zatara library, she smirked as she heard the low gasp that fell off of Celina's pink lips.

"Well, I hope you don't mind that I have one. I've had a long….week." she muttered walking over to the desk in the corner of the room and pouring herself a drink from the glass bottle on the desk.

"This place is huge, how…..where does...do you have all the books in the world in here because it look like it." Celina remarked.

Zatanna laughed, "No the books have just been collected over time. This house has been in my family for so many generations we lost count so our library is pretty vast."

"That's incredible."

"Thank you," Zatanna smirked.

"I mean it, this is remarkable. I know I don't look the part but I am quite the bookworm." Celina spun around and laughed, "Growing up I used to go to the library every week and read all sorts of books, I loved it. For a little while it was all I did but nowadays I'm reading more file cases and filing most of the paperwork myself. You know, I'd bet if you read every book in here, you'd be quick as a whip."

Zatanna kicked off her heels and wiggled her toes, taking a seat on the desk itself. She watched as Celina roused the shelves. "Hey maybe one of these books could tell me how to get Dick to ask me out."

Zatanna laughed wholeheartedly now, "You'd need more than a book to do that. You'd need-"

"Magic?" Celina finished.

Zatanna's smile froze. "What?"

"Yeah one of these books is about magic, you really believe in it?" Celina asked.

"Of course, I wouldn't be much of a magician if I didn't."

Celina waved her hand at her dismissively, "No, not the card tricks. I mean real deal magic. Wishes coming true, fairies, princesses, and knights in shining armor."

"Well that sounds more like a fairytale." Zatanna noted.

Celina pursed her lips, "Yeah I guess it does, but the question still stands...do you believe in them?"

Zatanna got up started searching for the maps they needed, "Yes, I do to an extent I guess. How about you?" she asked.

Celina looked at her, "No, I don't." she said slowly. "Don't get me wrong, I'd love to believe in them but growing up in the Blud, you learn you write your own fairytales and that's what I do; write my own story. Past, present, and with any luck the future."

"That's an interesting perspective" Zatanna said absentmindedly. Celina stood up and walked over to the desk Zatanna had originally sat on.

"What do you mean?" she said.

"Well," Zatanna said climbing the wooden ladder on her side. "The past was at one point the future, so how do you write it?"

"You've been in this library a long time haven't you?" Celina joked.

"Something like that." Zatanna mumbled absentmindedly as she continued to scale the shelves for the maps.

A long moment of silence passed between them and Zatanna quietly celebrated the moment with a tentative smile.

"Zat-i-ana, I hope you don't find this incredibly rude of me, but I have to know from one woman to another… I have to ask." she said.

Zatanna cocked a brow in her direction before pursing her lips and smiling politely at her. "It's actually pronounced, Zat-anna, but please ask away." she said.

"You know what I'm going to ask." Celina said reading her face. "It's obvious, isn't it?"

Zatanna shrugged, "You'll never know unless you ask."

"It's about Dick," she started, she studied Zatanna's face as if waiting to see a specific reaction, when she found nothing there she continued. "Are you and Dick...have you and Dick...is there something I should know about? He speaks very fondly of you."

"We're just old friends," Zatanna assured her. "We sort of grew up together…."

"So you're from Gotham then?" Celina pressed.

"Something like that," Zatanna allowed as she kept searching through the books on the wall.

"Something like what?" Celina asked her voice deadpanning, "You're either from Gotham or you're not."

Zatanna turned around to look at the blonde, "Honestly Celina, I've lived a little bit of everywhere. So I'm kind of a native everywhere and nowhere. It's kind of my thing. So yeah, something like that is really my only answer."

Celina scoffed, "Sounds like you've lead an interesting life."

Zatanna didn't respond and glanced at the clock on the wall. Dick was going to owe her big time if he didn't get there in the next few minutes.

"I get it." Celina continued. "That's really cool, I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes here. Or their Louboutin heels, for that matter." She noted.

Zatanna smirked and looked up at her then, "Well a girl's gotta wear shoes."

"I'd wager." Celina replied.

Zatanna walked around her and opened the closet door that had literally just appeared before her. She thanks the heavens Celina didn't see it manifest, people like her were always better off, left in the dark about magic. She flipped the switch and saw an old trunk with golden edges in the center of the closet.

She grabbed its side handle and dragged it out slowly (because it was so heavy) into the center of the library. She let go of the breath she'd been unconsciously holding while pulling the damned thing only to see Celina scrolling through one of the Zatara photo albums.

"Excuse me, do you mind?" Zatanna said marching over to her snatching it from her hands.

Celina looked taken aback, "I'm sorry, you were taking so long in that closet with that thing, I thought I would do some light browsing."

"Yeah well, this isn't a _**public**_ library," Zatanna reminded her putting the album on a random shelf.

"I really am sorry, it was just on the table and you'd said you and Dick were old friends so I thought I would see pictures of the two of you from the past you know, get a little more insight as to who he is." She admitted. "I really like him."

Zatanna looked at her evenly. "No kidding." She muttered.

"So you know?" Celina asked seriously.

Zatanna shrugged and walked back to the trunk, "You're about as subtle as a bomb."

Celina laughed, "You're funny." She noted. "And not wrong. I'm the kind of girl who know what she likes and gets what she wants. I like Dick Grayson, I think he's probably one of the best things that's happened to this town and I think he likes me too."

"Sounds nice." Zatanna said dryly as she pulled back the lid on the trunk and looked at the pile of variational maps before her.

Celina walked over to where Zatanna knelt, "Zatanna," she said seriously.

Zatanna looked up at her and smiled, "Oh look, you got my name right and everything this time."

Celina looked at her unamused, "I'm serious. I know I don't know you all that well, and you don't know me, but I'd rather know now if you had feelings for Dick too. Clearly you two have a history together or something, and that's fine but Dick told me you're leaving at the end of the month and I think it's only fair you let me have a fair shot at him if you aren't interested."

Zatanna wanted to roll her eyes and put the chipper blonde in trance that would last at least a decade but took a deep breath instead.

"Look Celina, I'm glad you're so into Dick. That's great, he's a great guy, and I'm sure that deep down you're a great girl but I could honestly care less, like you said I'm only here until the end of the month then I'm on to the next city. But if you want my advice, from a friend's perspective, I'd give him some space. Dick…he's been through some things and I don't think a superficial relationship is going to benefit anyone involved."

Celina's eyes narrowed.

"I just mean that he's a grown man, if he wants you, he'll pursue you." she said. "Trust me, the Dick Grayson I know is hard to deter when he wants something."

"And I believe that, I do, but even a good man can be lead astray."

Zatanna's eyes flashed up to her face. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean in this context."

Celina cocked her head to the side and shrugged. "I'm just saying, I'd hate to see Richard get hurt because he pursued someone who was uninterested in him, sort of like how you're uninterested."

Zatanna smiled sweetly, "Uninterested or not, Dick, can take care of himself. I'm sure he appreciates you looking out for his best interest."

"Well, that's what a good friend should do." Celina replied smugly. "But you already know that I'm sure."

Zatanna laughed blackly. "Yeah, I do. Now are you going to help me set up these maps to track this woman and or are we going to keep talking about Dick?" Zatanna asked. "Because I was under the impression that Dex was our primary concern."

Celina reached into the trunk and grabbed one of the older maps gingerly. "Of course he is." She muttered.

"Good." Zatanna smiled. "Then let's get started."


	6. Chapter 6

"Slumber party in heels? Just how late am I?" Dick asked as he walked through the door Zatanna held open for him.

Zatanna closed the door and rubbed her temples with her soft fingers hoping to ease her migraine.

"Annoyed to the point of headache…... I must be really late." He said sheepishly.

Zatanna threw him a side glance to show her lack of interest and his boyish smile remained completely unaffected by her mood, after a beat she reluctantly smiled.

"There it is." he boasted in victory.

She shook her head and continued towards the library. "You know that comment I made a while back? About you being a shitty friend?" she asked.

"Yeah." Dick said warily.

"I take it back." Zatanna said as they entered the library.

"So, I'm not a shitty friend?" Dick asked, urging her to go on.

"You're definitely shitty, I just don't know that I still consider you a friend." she said looking up from the desk where she sat and cocking a brow at him.

Dick threw his head back and laughed.

Zatanna smirked. "Really, I've had more considerate enemies."

"Sorry for leaving you to deal with Celina on your own, I know she could be a handful." Dick said, chuckling all the while.

Zatanna rolled her eyes and sighed as she began rifling through the familial files Celina brought over.

"Have you been over these already?" she asked as she pulled a large book from the desk drawer.

"Yeah," Dick said seriously, "Celina showed them to me a little while ago."

"We were able to find the marriage announcement and Dex's birth announcement. While Celina was otherwise occupied, I managed to look into the history the papers, the hands they'd passed, who was invited, family, friends. It seemed like mostly colleagues and associates, Max was really a corporate climber, had all his bosses at their wedding and social events. Lorraine, his wife and Dex's mom, had a smaller circle. Her parents were dead, and she didn't have many friends in the area, she'd left them behind in North Carolina. The only person she invited that I couldn't locate, was a woman named Marg." she said.

"Marg?" Dick said incredulously.

"What?" Zatanna asked.

"Well what kind of a name is Marg?" he asked in feigned disgust.

Zatanna scoffed. "You're right **Dick** , that name is really off the wall."

Dick looked up from the folder in his hands and smirked at her expression.

"Fine." He said holding his hands up in surrender. "I guess I can't say much."

"You can't say anything." Zatanna quipped.

He rolled his eyes, "So you think this Marg," he made a face saying the name, "is the mystery aunt."

Zatanna nodded. "All of the invitations were delivered by courier except for Marg's, hers was delivered by hand."

"Maybe they were close." Dick noted.

"I thought about that," Zatanna said, "Maybe it was a good friend, she would see sooner in person. What peaked my interest was how Marg's invitation came back into Lorraine's possession, the RSVP was dropped into a P.O. Box, not returned by mail. Lorraine had to pick it up, but everyone else mailed theirs in."

"Why all the secrecy?" Dick mused.

"Exactly." Zatanna said.

"Do you have Marg's address?" He asked suddenly.

"No," Zatanna said, though there was no sign of disappointment on her face.

Confusion flitted across Dick's face, "You could see the invitation with her name on it, but not her address?"

"Well first off, give me some credit here, I just magically traced down invitation to a baby shower from years ago by using the original announcement paper, that's quite a feat even for me." she said.

Dick went to speak and she put up her hand to stop him.

"Secondly," she said as she began to smirk, "Marg's invitation didn't have an address. Coincidence, I think not."

"Well you did just say Lorraine hand delivered it to her, maybe she knew she would see her first, no need for an address." Dick theorized.

Zatanna shook her head. "Any other day you'd probably be right, but not today, the invitations were written out five months before the shower. Based on the P.O. Box address that Marg used to RSVP, the mail would have been the faster and more convenient choice for Lorraine. She had to go out of her way, while she was pregnant, to hand deliver this to Marg."

"So, we need to find this Marg and determine her connection to Lorraine, hopefully she's the woman we're looking for."

"And if she isn't?" Zatanna asked.

"Then maybe she'll know something about our mystery woman, especially since she is a woman of mystery herself. Where's the P.O. Box she sent it from?" He asked.

Zatanna handed him a sticky note with the address written on it.

"Nebraska? Dick asked in a deadpan voice.

Zatanna shrugged, "I couldn't make this stuff up if I wanted to. If I didn't know any better, I would say Marg is making an effort to be lowkey. Although, kind of figures that there would be a Marg in Nebraska though, huh?"

She chuckled, and Dick laughed reluctantly.

"Here," she said. "I'll monitor the P.O. Box magically, if anything goes in or out, we'll find our mystery woman."

Dick looked at her surprised.

"What?" she said. "It's not like you can fly out overnight and stick a camera on it."

"You're being awfully nice." he noted.

"Well I'm only in Gotham for a few more nights, I want to help you wrap it up as soon as possible." she said.

He smiled mischievously, "Eager to get rid of me?"

Zatanna laughed, "Yep, you caught me. I want to speed things up just to get rid of you and your latest female appendage."

"Are you saying you didn't get along with Celina?" he jibed.

"Not at all, she seems nice." she lied absentmindedly.

Dick looked at her skeptically and she sighed, "Okay," she admitted, "she's a bit much."

"She's a lot more than just a bit much." Dick said. "She's borderline Harley Quinn…. on meth…. during the fourth of July."

Zatanna laughed and shook her head, before shoving his muscle lined chest. "That's not funny."

Dick looked at her incredulously, "I'd be more inclined to believe you if you weren't laughing."

She shook her head and fought the smile trying to break way on her face. "That's only because she likes you Dick."

"She's not really my type." Dick said as he stood up to stretch.

"Oh?" Zatanna sounded. "And prey, what is Dick Grayson's type?"

"Curious, are we?" he noted.

"No, tired actually." Zatanna said getting up from behind the desk and taking off her shoes.

Dick glanced at his watch. "It is pretty late."

"You can crash here if you want," Zatanna offered. "There are several guest bedrooms and the world's most cozy couch, but you know all of that already." She said smiling smugly.

Dick smiled in response. "I should go. Commuting from Gotham to Bludhaven is a nightmare in the mornings."

Zatanna folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes before shrugging. "Okay, I get it, commutes are the worst."

They walked to the door and she walked out to his bike with him.

"You'll get in touch with me if there's any activity with the P.O. Box?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes, "Yes officer."

"It's actually detective." he said mounting his bike.

She waved her hand dismissively in the air. "You'll always be the boy blunder in my eyes."

"Hey, I've grown up since then." he said proudly. "I think I've outgrown the nickname."

Zatanna shook her head and smiled, "No." she said.

"No?" he echoed in confusion.

She nodded. "No."

He looked at her speculatively. "Good night Zee."

She brought her index finger to center of his temple and in an indescribable rush of collected air, he found himself home, in bed, and in his pajamas.

He snickered to himself and shook his head. He picked up his phone to send her a text.

 **D. Thanks for the lift.**

Zatanna glanced at the phone that buzzed in her front pocket as she closed the door. She read the text and sighed.

"No…. Some things you simply can't outgrow."


	7. Chapter 7

"Great show tonight Zatanna." Luke, the stage manager, told her as he walked toward her. "You really do succeed the legend, your father should be proud."

Zatanna smiled wearily, "Thanks Luke, he is. I'm sure of it." she replied.

He played with his hands nervously, "Stop me if I'm making a fool of myself but a mans got to try." He started.

Zatanna smiled mischievously, "Do go on." She teased.

Luke smiled at her encouragement, "Look I know you're super busy with your show and all, and I'd be a fool to think you didn't have plans outside of this, but I'd really like to take you out while you're here. I promised myself the last time you headlined here, that I would ask you out, next thing I knew you retired from the business for two years, now that you're back I don't want the opportunity to pass me by."

He looked at her expectantly and Zatanna couldn't help the flutter of her lashes and the slight flush on her face.

"Well if there was ever an opportunity," she hinted as she waited for him to pop the question.

He flushed, "Will you go to dinner with me tonight? Parle Mange has an exotic menu that I'm sure could even keep you entertained. Not to mention an untouchable wine cellar."

"Parle Mange?" she repeated. "Isn't that place always booked?"

"That's why I made reservations at the same time we booked your show a few months back." He quipped.

"Confident, were we?" she asked pretending to be slightly offended.

"No, optimistic." He countered.

"I like optimistic." She replied. "Guess you've got yourself a date, let me just get changed."

"Great!" he exclaimed. "I'll bring the car around."

..

Dick left the station and headed for his bike when he pulled out his phone. It'd been two days since he heard from Zatanna and she was only in town for another six.

He was strictly concerned about the progression of the case, how could he monitor it without her? Sure, they could coordinate long distance once she left Gotham but with her sold out show, his long hours, and the time difference from coast to coast; it would only be that much harder.

He thought about texting her and thought better of it. The last thing he wanted now was to bother her if it wasn't related to working the case because he knew all too well what that would mean for him and he simply didn't want to go there.

Today had been another long day, a day with no immediate results, no breaks in any cases, and a fresh pile of new ones. It as one thing after the other and he wasn't where he wanted to be on any of those cases. Sure, he'd be able to crack them in a little time but it wasn't the same. He was still in his rut and going home to face nothing except the music, the tune his life seemed to play on repeat since the incident, seemed like the worst part of the day.

It wasn't as bad as it used to be, he didn't want to go back there to being that person who did those things in that numb state. He didn't want to sink back into drowning his sorrows and taking it out on the low lives he ran in the streets at night, because that would only make him one of them but that didn't mean it was easy. Working on Dex's case though, this was his chance to make a difference, to save a life, to save someone from becoming…..becoming him.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts and hopped on his bike. He hated to admit it but maybe Celina was right, not even he could escape the fact that having someone in your corner made things better; not perfect, certainly not his life would never be that but better. He took to the highway and headed for Gotham, he needed someone tonight.

..

"Hey." He said as he pulled up next to her and sat down.

Batgirl jumped at the sudden voice beside her.

"Dick?" she said incredulously.

"Do you know anyone else who would scale a building in the middle of the night to sit beside you?" he asked jokingly.

She wrapped her arms around him in a hug and laughed. "Of course not, its just I'm so surprised to see you. What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Up here or in Gotham?" he asked.

She shrugged, "How about both?" she suggested.

He thought about easting her and thought better of it. "I needed a friend tonight, so I thought I'd go looking for one."

Her eyes were serious, but she smiled at him anyway. "Well you found one." She said, awed at his honest attitude. "What's going on?"

"I..uh..I've been down lately." He said lamely.

Barbara smiled timidly and bumped his shoulder with hers. "That much I think we all figured out." She confessed.

He smirked. "Yeah, well, I don't want to be anymore."

"Are you coming back to-"

"No." he said in a strong voice. "I'm not coming back to Gotham, I'm not going back to the team, the league, and no I haven't given up on finding Wally. If there's even the slightest chance that he is out there, then I won't stop until I find him."

Barbara looked at him taken aback and he sighed.

"But I can't help Wally, if I can't help myself first, and I can't help myself alone. I need a friend."

"Whoa." Barbara replied.

"I know." Dick said looking at her sheepishly.

"Well if you need a friend then you know you've got one in me. In all of us." She reminded him.

"Thanks." He breathed.

"Did you bring your gear?" she asked suddenly.

"No, why?" Dick replied.

"Well, I think in honor of our restored friendship we should give our pals breaking into the jewelry store there, a taste of it." she hinted.

Dick laughed as he took in the excited gleam in her eye.

It was always a thrill with Barbara.

"Sure," he said, meet you down there in three."

"Three?" she said as stood up. "You've gotten rusty, haven't you?"

"Nope but I think Dick Grayson, adopted son of Bruce Wayne, jumping from building to building might make headlines faster than the actual bust. I'm still in civvies, remember? I'll do the wrap up on the ground level if you don't mind."

"Always so cautious." Barbara teased as she leapt from the building.

Dick laughed as he prepared to go down the fire escape just in case someone was watching.

…

Dick and Batgirl watched as Gotham Police drove off with the two perpetrators.

"Did you see his face when you turned the corner and clocked him?" Barbara beamed.

Dick laughed, "Yeah Babs, I saw it."

"What?" Dick asked as she looked at him from the side of her eyes again, she'd been watching him all night.

"You're just in such a good mood." She observed.

"Yeah and?" he countered.

"And it's nice, it feels like the old Dick Grayson is making a comeback." She said frankly.

Dick didn't reply.

"So, what is it? A new job, new girl?" she asked.

"Don't be ridiculous Babs." He said as he smiled reluctantly. "That's the problem with having a girl best friend, whenever you have a problem it's either a girl or a job. You know, men have other problems too."

Barbara laughed, "Oh common Dick, I am so happy for you. I just want to know! As a friend I want to make sure you stay on this path of….I don't know introspection and growth. You know I can't stand it when you keep secrets from me."

"Okay, okay, once you start using psychology terms, you know I have no choice but to tell you. If only to keep a diagnosis at bay." He teased.

"I'll be sure to use them more often then." She promised.

"It's…..Zatanna?" he said in a confused tone as he looked into the restaurant across the street.

"Zatanna?" Barbara said surprisingly.

"Zatanna." Dick explained as he pointed at the glass window, beside which Zatanna and some over tanned Brown-haired man sat.

Barbara looked over to where he pointed and sure enough she saw the couple sitting across from each other at the table.

"Yeah she's in town for her show," Barbara told him. "She's doing really well and she is breathing life into that yellow dress, though I liked the one she wore to dinner last week better."

Dick's head snapped in her direction. "Dinner?" he probed.

"Yeah dinner," Barbara scoffed. "Even girls have to eat Dick."

Dick rolled his eyes, "Yeah I know Babs, I just didn't know you two had dinner last week. She didn't say anything about it."

"It was more so a family dinner, Alfred insisted on it. She was his first." She said.

Dick looked at her skeptically.

"Daughter I mean, Alfred has been running a boy's home for years and when Bruce got guardianship over her, she was the first adopted daughter Alfred ever had. They're pretty tight those two."

She glanced back at Dick as realization dawned on her.

"You two have been seeing each other?" she asked lightly.

"For work purposes." Dick muttered.

"Oh." Barbara replied.

"Oh?" Dick said as he picked up her tone.

Barbara shrugged, "Nothing, it's just interesting is all."

"Don't go there Babs." Dick said in an amused tone.

"Go where?" she said innocently.

"No new girl. No new job. Just me doing me." he told her.

"Right." Barbara agreed with a nod. "Same job, same girl. You and Zatanna are back?"

"Babs," he said.

"Okay, okay, okay." Barbara relented with a huge smile on her face. "I'm just curious. That's all."

"There's nothing to be curious about." Dick told her smugly.

"I can't even be curious about the guy she's sitting across right now?" Barbara asked in a sore attempt to gauge his response.

"No Babs, no spying. Zatanna's a grown woman, she can date whoever she wants." Dick reminded her.

"We could just go in and say we are on a friend date." She offered. "Just to get a feel for the guy."

"Babs, I'm serious. Leave Zee alone, I've already imposed on her these last few weeks and the last thing I want to do is keep her from her personal life." Dick told her.

"But-"

"Babs." He said in his 'warning' tone.

Barbara raised her hands up in mock surrender. "Fine, I'm just glad to see you on your feet and if she had anything to do with it then even I would have to admit that she's really something else."

They'd turn the corner now, heading back in the direction from which they came. Dick stole one last glance at the couple sitting by the window.

"Yeah." He agreed.


	8. Chapter 8

"Should you get that?" Luke asked as he and Zatanna strolled idly into the park by the restaurant. Her phone vibrating for the third time that night.

The cool air of the night was lovely and brought color to her cheeks, as the wind combed through her hair artfully she gave him a wistful smile with the whole-hearted intent of disarming him.

"Ahh, no I'm sure it's fine." Zatanna replied.

Luke grinned at her, "You can pick it up, they won't scare me off, whoever it is." he promised.

At that comment Zatanna had to laugh, if only he knew the number of contacts in her phone that he should have been scared of.

"What reason would they have for scaring you off any way?" Zatanna asked.

Luke smiled in response. "I was hoping you'd ask that." He told her.

Zatanna looked at him mischievously from the side of her eye, "Oh, I know." she told him coolly.

"Then what I'm about to say next shouldn't surprise you either." He continued. "I really enjoyed our date tonight. It's one I won't forget."

Zatanna smiled up at him and he continued. "And I am not just saying that because I know there are two living lobsters and several snails in your purse right now."

She blushed, "You should be flattered, I don't save sea creatures with just anyone you know." she teased.

"You could've told me you were a vegetarian you know."

"And miss the opportunity to have garlic bread and save lives. Where's the fun in that?" she asked rhetorically.

He shook his head and smiled. "And you're sure they'll be better off with your friend? I would hate to have gone through all that trouble of ordering our food raw and then sneaking it into your purse like a mad man, if he'll just eat them when you're gone." He warned her.

"Kaldur would never." she informed him. "He is one of the sweetest guys I know."

"How many sweet guys do you know?" He asked jokingly.

"Including you? I'd say that makes just a little more than a few."

He laughed, "Well of the few sweet guys you know, this one, would really like it if he could take you out again. Maybe somewhere where we could eat the food instead of rescue them if you'd like or we could go around town and rescue all sorts of animals."

"I'm starting to think I've created some kind of monster in you." She smiled at his talk of rescuing animals across town.

"Maybe you have," he responded. "I haven't had that much fun in….way too long." He admitted.

Zatanna beamed, "I'll take that as a compliment." She told him.

"Please do." He said as he moved in a little closer to her. "A night of animal rescues like this town has never seen."

"Sounds like my kind of night." She teased.

"So, can I take that as a yes?" he hinted.

Zatanna caught a subtle movement in the darkness behind Luke's shoulder and smiled at him anyway. "Can I get back to you on that?" she countered. "I think I should pick up that call."

"Oh." he said as he was pulled up short. "Sure."

"It's a private matter." she said as she smiled gracefully, waiting for him to take the hint. "And it'll probably take a while."

"Oh, so this is the end of our date then." He pieced together awkwardly.

"Hey, this isn't me trying to escape. I had a great time, really, I did. I just-"

"Yeah, no I understand completely. You've got to take care of something." He said giving her a little space and smiling chivalrously. "I get it, besides I have a feeling if you were trying to escape, you'd have something more dramatic in mind. Like disappearing in a cloud of smoke or something."

Zatanna laughed and he smiled.

"Do you need a ride home? I can go get the car." He offered.

"That won't be necessary, thank you so much Luke." she said as she moved to peck him on the cheek. "I really needed a distraction tonight."

He blushed. "Any time, so I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Well," she started playfully, "It is my show."

"Right, duh." he agreed.

"Good night." she said sweetly.

"Good night Zatanna." he said as he turned and started walking back towards the restaurant. He looked back at her midway and she waved. Once he was out of sight she sighed and moved to sit on a bench by a small fountain.

After a moment or two, Dick came and sat beside her.

"You've gotten rusty." She informed him.

"That or you're extraordinarily keen." he countered.

"Are you trying to flatter me, Dick Grayson, so I don't ask why you were tailing me?" she asked.

"That depends," he said as he leaned back on to the bench comfortably moving his arm over the bench and behind her. "How far will flattery get me?"

"Nowhere." she said decidedly.

"Then no." He replied simply. "I am sorry I ruined your date though, he seems like a nice guy."

Zatanna looked at him with disbelief.

"What?" he asked.

"You're incredible." she said sarcastically.

"Oh, I know." he said as we wiggled his brows teasingly.

Zatanna couldn't help but smile.

"You didn't have to crash my date, there hasn't been any activity on the P.O. box. I would've told you." she informed him.

"I know." He answered simply. "I was just curious."

Zatanna looked at him skeptically and he pointed at her purse.

"How many animals did you rescue?" he asked.

Zatanna smiled up at him. "Were you eavesdropping?"

"No, I just know you." He replied.

"Yeah right." She challenged.

He chuckled, "I wish I was joking Zee, but you're so predictable."

"Nu-uh." she laughed.

"Did you even like the guy or did you say yes, knowing he'd take you somewhere that would involve live animal rescues?" Dick probed.

"He's sweet." Zatanna replied in her defense.

"And so not your type." Dick reminded her.

She looked at him in mock offense. "And what pray tell, is my type?"

Dick pursed his lips, "Not him." he said decidedly. "So, what's in the bag?" He asked again.

Zatanna flushed, "Two lobsters and some snails." she confessed. "I was going to have Kaldur bring them somewhere safe."

Dick looked at his watch and then back at her, "You could give them to Kaldur or we could take a zeta tube to someplace by an ocean ourselves and maybe if you actually want to eat food, instead of rescuing it, we could grab a bite to eat." he offered.

"I don't know." She said pretty hesitantly.

Dick rolled his eyes dramatically and smiled. "Oh common, you've got to be hungry, you just went on a date and didn't have a bite. Don't tell me you're dieting or something, you're perfect Zee and it'll be my treat."

Zatanna scoffed, "Oh it better be." she said getting up and taking his offered arm.

They strolled towards the zeta tube and she looked up at him, "Just so you know, this isn't a date or anything." she told him.

Dick looked at her and smiled reluctantly, "Strictly a rescue mission." he agreed.


	9. Chapter 9

Dick somersaulted down from the gymnastics rings he'd been balancing on and tumbled to land onto his back. His muscles burned from the exercise, but he needed something to steady his mind, to call his focus. Strenuous exercise helped but the minute he touched the ground his mind was pulling in all directions.

He thought about Wally, he wondered if there was a chance, even the slightest chance that he could be found. He'd cease to exist on their plane, but he wasn't gone, not entirely. Zatanna had told him that herself in the beginning, but there were so many different planes, she didn't dare say it was possible to bring him back. For all she knew, he could be in purgatory or a different universe or dimension, she couldn't even talk to him just briefly visualize him and that meant nothing. She could have simply been remembering him even, it was probably nothing, that was how little hope she had in his existence beyond their earthly realm. Yet it was enough, enough to drive him to the brink of madness over and over again. He wouldn't rest, wouldn't stop, he wouldn't move on until Wally could but that didn't mean he was obsessed. No. He had other things he prioritized in life. Like work Dex's case was his latest infatuation and although he didn't want to admit it, he knew it was because the chance of success was slim to none. Maybe if he could solve one impossible case, he could solve another. He just couldn't give up.

Zatanna. Another thought that raced in his mind, he tried to forget about the way she'd smiled and laughed last night. She laughed so hard she started wheezing and then choking on the air coming into her lungs. Her flushed face and shimmering eyes made him feel alive again; present again. Like he could be in one place at one time and focus only on that moment. It wasn't even like she had tried, she was simply being herself.

They'd gone to a beach by the coast, where the saltwater was cleanest, and deposited the critters from her purse. The lobsters seem confused and in an effort to help them understand their new found freedom, Zatanna slipped out of her clothes, undergarments on (cami and underwear - this was a very PG skinny dip) kicked off her shoes and jumped into the ocean without any regard.

Leaving Dick wide eyed and mouth agape. By the time he'd even thought to join her, if only for sake of being a good friend, she start backstroking towards him.

"D-don't come in!" she shouted from the distance, her voice just slightly louder than the waves. "It's fr-freezing!"

Dick doubled over in laughter as she made it back to the beach. Dick helped her up and she laughed with him while she shuddered in the cold. He brought his arms around her in an attempt to warm her and she fit into his mold perfectly. Her shape tucked into his and felt like it was melting there. He tightened his hold on her as a shiver ran through her and she sighed contentedly.

"Don't take this the wrong way but you're really hot. Are you okay?" she asked through trembling lips.

"You're just cold Zee. I'm fine." he chuckled.

"Oh," she said absentmindedly. "It was worth it." she said as she started warming up again.

"Good, now let's get you inside and fed so you don't die of shock or hypothermia." He said as she pulled on her clothes over he wet body. She walked with her shoes in hand, her height now severely diminished.

He went to ask her about the shoes and she brought her hand up, "They're designer." she answered without him having said a word.

They walked into a small cafe where the patrons and staff were equally shocked at Zatanna's dripping body and as Dick found them a table, Zatanna went to the bathroom only to emerge in sweat and a tee shirt draped by grey zip up hoodies she'd left unzipped. Her hair was in a messy wet bun and her makeup was entirely gone.

She sat crisscrossed on the chair and bare faced before him, her three beauty marks designing her face. The server who came to serve them, a small woman with short blonde hair, looked at her incredulously.

"Did you change?" she asked Zatanna bluntly.

"Yep." Zatanna nodded as she pointed to the small gym bag that was now beside their table.

Dick smirked, magic sure did come in handy.

The small server nodded took their order and left. It was by no means the last pair of eyes that would observe them that evening. Whether it was the number of men that just stared at her, even in her most basic and casual attire, or the women who looked nothing short of envious of her naked flawlessness or the man sitting across her (he knew the effect he had on women) it could have been like they were on display. Yet, it felt like they were in their own bubble the whole night.

He felt like a teen again, on just another date with Zatanna Zatara who either came dressed to the nines or barely dressed at all (so sweats or leggings) and always ate more sweets than actual food. they talked about any and everything except now they avoided topics like her dad, their work lives, and their missing friend. For just that night, he got to be Dick Grayson, the ordinary boy who was sitting in front of Zatanna Zatara the most extraordinary girl.

When they'd gotten back to Gotham in the dead of night and early hours of the morning, they walked over to his bike and said their goodbyes before she pecked him on the cheek teleporting him home.

It was the first time in months, that his thoughts, his actions, had finally felt like his own again but as the night sky turned into the morning dawn he felt a slight uneasiness about him. the last thing he wanted to do was shift any focus not dedicated to work to anything other than Wally and vice versa. anything else indicated that he would be moving on and that didn't work for him. As unhealthy as he knew it would seem, that was simply the fact of the matter. They needed to wrap this case up before he got distracted and he knew all too well that Zatanna Zatara would be nothing but distraction in his hectic life. A distraction he neither deserved or wanted for the sake of his friend.

"We're calling it a night Grayson," one of the officers said as a few of them left the gym.

Dick waved back from the floor and as the other officer prepared to leave he opened his mouth and then pursed his lips in deliberation.

Dick already knew what we was about to say, go home, relax, enjoy the weekend, be young. Anything that might have an encouraging effect on someone else his age.

"Night Stevenson." Dick called back in an attempt to send him on his way.

The young cop nodded and left.

He huffed out a breath as he fixed his gaze onto one point in the ceiling. He needed to focus, get his head out of the clouds. and back into the casework. His phone vibrated on the mat behind him.

* * *

Zatanna had just walked onto the platform right beneath the stage when her sensor went off, someone had finally been at the P.O Box and now she would be able to source them magically. She had thirty seconds before the platform would bring her up to the center stage from beneath the floor and the show would start. She quickly whipped out her phone and sent the text that Dick had been waiting for.

 **P.O. Box breached. Nebraska. Tonight. After show. Z.**

The floor beneath her started to rise and she tucked her phone away as she was met with the dazzling lights and deafening applause.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the one you've all been waiting for; Zatanna Zatara!" The house speaker introduced her. A smile stretched across her face as she threw her hands above her head and bowed into her entrance.

* * *

It was the end of her show and as the curtains fell, the crowd still roaring over her finale, Zatanna found it odd that Dick hadn't text her back. This was the break they'd been waiting on. She resolved to shower, get dressed and find him.

As she prepared to leave after having showered and gotten ready in her dressing room, she heard her name being called.

"Zatanna!" Luke called a little ways behind her.

She palmed herself mentally, she had in her fun last night, completely ignored his texts regarding her safety and though she was more than capable of taking care of himself, he had no idea and was probably concerned by her lack of response or at the very least thought he was being blown off.

"Luke, hi." she responded sheepishly.

"Hey." he said a tad breathlessly when he finally caught up to her. "Where have you been?" he asked. "I texted you all last night, to make sure you got home alright." he explained.

"Yeah, I noticed, I was just so preoccupied that I didn't have the chance to respond." she told him earnestly.

"Oh." he said accepting her excuse in an easy-going manner. "Okay, is everything alright though?"

"Yeah," she beamed. "Everything is fine, thanks for the concern."

He flushed, "Well that's great, I was thinking maybe, if you weren't so busy tonight, maybe we could pick up where we left off last night. Go for a night cap and a stroll maybe?"

"Oh." she replied. She opened her mouth to turn him down easy but suddenly.

"Zatanna?" a voice from not ten feet away sounded.

The couple turned to look as none other than Dick Grayson, son of Bruce Wayne, walked towards them.

"Dick." Zatanna replied just as incredulously.

"Crazy running into you here," he said as he walked up to her, pecked her on the cheek and handed her a large bouquet of assorted flowers. "Great show tonight."

Zatanna's eyes flew up to meet his and then Luke's, he always had such timing. "Thanks." she replied. "Dick this is Luke, the stage manager of the Gotham Stage house. Luke, this is-"

"Richard Grayson." Luke finished excitedly as he shook hands with him. "I recognize you from the papers. You're Bruce Wayne's son but I thought you were no longer in Gotham."

"Yeah, what are you doing here?" Zatanna tacked on.

Dick smiled, "Just visiting home, reconnecting with family and friends. It's been awhile." He explained briefly. "I heard Zee was putting on a hell of a show tonight, so I thought I'd come and support."

Luke nodded enthusiastically, "Of course."

"Mmmm." Zatanna replied.

"At any rate," Dick continued as he turned to face Zatanna, "Are you ready for dinner?"

"Dinner?" Luke asked. It seemed like for the first time Luke was measuring himself up to Dick who stood over him by a few inches and whose build left little to the imagination. Luke subtly pulled himself upright next to him.

"Sure." Zatanna replied. "I'll be ready in just a second."

"Great." Dick replied before turning to face Luke and offering him a firm hand. "Nice meeting you, Luke."

"Likewise." Luke replied as he shook his hand.

With that Dick turned to leave them in the hallway.

"So, Dick Grayson's a friend of yours?" he inquired in a forced relaxed tone.

"Yeah, we're childhood friends." she replied hoping he wouldn't pry for more details.

"Oh." he said slightly relieved. "So another time then?"

"Sure," she agreed too quickly. "Good night Luke."

* * *

Despite her farewell to Luke, he walked her to the door and she watched as his mouth fell agape at the black car that waited for her. Leave it to Dick to put on a show.

Zatanna slid into the black car behind the building and barely had time to wave as Dick revved the engine and sped off into the night.

"Nice." Zatanna said sarcastically.

Dick chuckled. "I don't know what you mean." he insisted.

"You know exactly what I mean." she scolded him. "But thanks for the exit plan and the flowers." she said as she brought her nose to the rim of the plastic and lace to smell the arrangement.

"It wasn't an exit plan, I was actually at the show." he told her.

Zatanna looked at him out of the side of her eye.

"It's true." he argued.

"You, Dick Grayson, crap friend extraordinaire came to my show?" she teased.

He laughed, "I was late, and it took some bribery since it was already sold out, but yes I was there. That's why I didn't text you back. No phones in the audience."

Zatanna pursed her lips, "I can't tell if you're being serious."

As they came to a red light, he pulled out his phone and showed her the video he'd taken.

Her eyes ran up his face in excitement and he laughed.

"You came to my show!" she exclaimed.


	10. Chapter 10

"This is taking too long." He muttered.

"Dick," Zatanna said in a feigned bright and chipper voice, "If you complain one more time, I will actually read across this table and rip out your larynx."

Dick looked at her evenly and she cocked a shapely dark brow in his direction before picking up her bagel and biting into it.

"Try me." she warned.

Dick brought his coffee to his lips in response and let his eyes slip over to the blonde bombshell that sat five table across from them in the relatively packed café. She was in no way older than they were, she sat with a gaggle of other young women and in spite of all the qualities that made her wrong for the person they were looking for Zatanna insisted she be followed.

That was last night when they'd arrived in Nebraska at around 3 a.m. and it was now going on 11 in the morning. He'd called out of work and Zatanna was due to be back in Gotham before her show.

* * *

They followed the P.O. breach from the box location to the home where the last person who'd touched it allegedly resided. It was an apartment complex that made the four seasons look just a bit tacky and that was the first red flag.

"This can't be right." He said.

"Well this is where the person lives, 17b to be exact." Zatanna replied.

"This person has been pretty much living incognito for the last half decade and we locate them at what, no doubt, has to be the flashiest place in Nebraska to live? It doesn't make sense. We must've gotten it wrong." He insisted.

"Or maybe we didn't." Zatanna said simply.

"It doesn't make sense Zee."

"But it makes sense that Gotham's wealthiest family is actually a team of superheros." She snapped.

He pressed his lips together in defeat.

"Now park the car around back and be quick. I have a feeling this isn't the last surprise we're going to come across." She said getting out of the car and walking into the building, without any further explanation.

When he walked into the building she was leaning against the receptionist desk, laughing and playing with her hair insipidly. The male receptionist; a responsible looking brunette man with glasses, with a bad tapered haircut and medial build, flushed and smiled awkwardly. He couldn't be more than 30, he was obviously unmarried if he was working the dungeon shift, and by the way he looked at Zatanna (or tried to look at her) it was clear he'd never been paid attention to by women just like her. Not that anyone was anything like Zatanna Zatara but to a man like the receptionist behind the desk, any pretty face went a long way. A weakness Zatanna was definitely exploiting. Dick frowned, she wreaking havoc on the poor guy's emotions.

He watched as she gently brought her hand to his arm and he nodded in submission. He turned to type something into the computer and Zatanna's eyes flashed towards the door, catching Dick's poorly concealed grimace. Her eyes narrowed in speculation before the receptionist called her attention to him again. Handing her a plastic key.

She squealed in response and bounced on her toes.

"Alex, you're the sweetest. Don't ever change." She gushed. She looked over at Dick now and motioned him over with her hands. "Oh, here he comes now. Don't mind his face, he's scarier than he looks."

Dick walked over and cleared his throat. "Alex." He said, taking his hand in a firm handshake. "I can't thank you enough for being a help. It means a lot man."

Alex smiled, "It's not a problem. I hope she says yes. You two would make a beautiful couple."

Dick's brows raised slightly. "Well you and me both." He continued.

"Well," Alex said, "I'll see you two in the morning then."

"Yep." Zatanna replied, hooking her arm under Dick's excitedly. "Later!" she said as she began dragging him out of the building.

Alex tipped an imaginary hat to Dick and Dick nodded. When they were behind the building she brought her hand to his eyes and uncovered them in the next second, she had changed into her usual 'work' outfit, only a slight variation from her magician's outfit. Instead of the fishnets, her stockings were a sheer black and she wore black low-heeled boots.

"You could've just asked me to turn around." He told her humorously.

She shrugged, "It would've been unnecessary effort on your part. Plus I don't know that I trust you that much." She told him. "You're kind of a womanizer."

He laughed, and she placed her hands on her hips and looked him over.

"What?" he asked.

"Well, you're gonna change right?" she asked.

"Well how about you let me in on what's going on first?" Dick asked.

"Well for starters, you're proposing to Marge tomorrow a little before noon so when she leaves at 7, we have to go in there and 'decorate' the place. Alex gave me a temporary key, so no need to sneak in." she said.

"Then why get dressed?" he asked.

"Because why put off what you can do today, for tomorrow?" she replied.

"So, we are sneaking in." he said flatly.

"Right after you get dressed." She confirmed.

He looked back at the car where his gear was and back at the magician in front of him.

"Speaking of unnecessary effort." He hinted.

She winked at him and smiled. "Dick Grayson asking a woman to undress him, I'll savor the moment another time." She purred.

"You're insufferable." He told her.

"And yet here we are." She smiled before bringing her small hands to his eyes again and taking them off in the following second. He looked down and he was dressed.

"So, are you levitating us up to the 17th floor or should we ask Alex for scaling equipment?" he jibed.

Zatanna closed the space between them, standing right beneath his chin, he looked down at her and froze as he felt her hands snake around his hip slowly.

"If it's all the same to you." She said in a low even tone. "I think we should scale it."

She brought her hand between them and he noticed his grappling hook and rope in her hand. She turned sharply on her heel and went to face the building. She secured the rope to the hook and launched it up to the third ledge of the building effortlessly. They'd be positioned right where they needed to be. She checked the sturdiness of the rope and started walking up. He followed behind her silently.

When they both made it onto the ledge, she peered into the window.

"I can't see anything." She said.

"Move over." Dick whispered as he bent down to look into the window. It was pitch black, but there was a shiny sort of look to the darkness. One that made him uneasy.

"Here, I'll just pry it open a little." She said. She went to open the window and Dick caught her hand before she could.

"That's bullet proof, dark aluminum." He said. "This window and probably all the other ones, are alarmed. If you so much as put a pound of weight on the glass, everyone in this building is waking up."

"What?" she hissed.

"You wouldn't be able to see through that window with X-ray vision."

"That seems a bit extensive." She said straightening out of her crouch.

"Marge isn't taking any chances." He replied. "Our best bet is waiting until she leaves tomorrow."

Zatanna smirked. "I guess Alex was quite the help after all."

* * *

They waited until the small blonde Zatanna had seen on Alex's computer left the building early morning before walking into the complex building and heading straight for the elevators. Fortunately, the reception staffing had made their change over.

The apartment yielded little information, there were no personal effects of the sort. Just a well kept and modernly furnished apartment with an extensive security system that required magic for them to come and go undetected.

"The woman we saw leaving is a little young to be Dex's mom's sister or acquaintance. She looks our age." Dick said.

Zatanna shrugged, "Looks can be deceiving."

Dick scoffed. "Modifying her looks to get by, possible, modifying them enough to look twenty years her junior?" He said skeptically.

"You'd be surprised at the lengths women go to in order to keep up appearances. Though I'm not sure that's exactly what's happening here, it's not like it would be unheard of." She replied.

"Well I guess a pretty face goes a long way." Dick muttered.

Zatanna's eyes narrowed infinitesimally. "It certainly doesn't hurt." She said dryly.

"I can tell." He lipped.

"Last I checked pretty faces were your type. Don't tell me solitude and bitterness has humbled you." She quipped.

"I'm just saying that women, in general, shouldn't rely so heavily on their looks and charms to get them everywhere in life." He said ignoring her jibe.

"Women, in general, don't." she told him. "And whenever you want to start speaking in the specific, I'll be in the car, helping you do your job."

In the blink of an eye she was gone and Dick was in the hallway of the 17th floor. He felt like kicking himself, but walked sorely to the car where she sat in the passenger seat and followed the GPS (which Zatanna had already set up) to the café.

* * *

"You're not in a good mood this morning." He noted as he brought his cup down.

She turned to look at him evenly. "What were you insinuating back there?" She asked.

"I wasn't insinuating anything. I was just making a point." he said tersely.

"Last night the point was that I should ask Alex for scaling equipment and this morning its that women should do more than coast on their looks." She said incredulously. "I don't know what your problem is and right now I don't care, but let me make myself clear, pull your shit together and fast."

"It was a joke."

"It wasn't funny." She told him. "If you don't like the way I do my work-"

"Your work is fine." He said. "You're fine. I was just, I don't know, I-"

"You what?" she snapped.

He looked at her flushed an angry face and could see the hurt in her eyes. It wasn't fair to her, she was right. This wasn't her case, it wasn't even his, but here she was in the middle of nowhere, running on zero sleep and having to put on a show in a few hours, helping him in spite of his less than decent behavior.

"I'm a crap friend." He said. "And I guess I am looking for any excuse to validate my own really shitty logic as to why I should keep being a crap friend to you and everyone else. And I'm sorry. It's my problem not yours."

She hated when he did that, when he could see past his own bullshit and call himself on it.

In the past few days she'd seen it all, the way he was fighting who he was and who he was becoming. His own inner darkness had laid a claim to him and it was his own battle to fight. She knew that struggle all too well, it was why he made every effort to not be close to her despite her own advances and although she had thought she was making even the slightest difference, she should see it wasn't enough. They had days left together and he'd be gone again. A whisper in the wind, living in his own personal hell and not even realizing it. But if he could see through his own bullshit, then maybe just maybe he was getting better, maybe it meant he could still see the light at the end of his own tunnel.

She had to hope. She had to. Because he had hoped for her and she'd be damned if she forgot it.

She turned to face the blonde again.

"I already knew you were a crap friend." She told him.

Dick nodded and knew that was her own way of saying, she'd already forgiven him.


End file.
